THE Zimbabwean government has been called upon to domesticate the United Nations (UN) Plan of Action on the safety of journalists as part of measures to create an enabling environment for media freedom.
Speaking at a policy dialogue held to observe the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in Bulawayo on Monday, media stakeholders noted operational challenges that journalists are encountering in the course of their work that warrant the adoption of the international framework to protect journalists.
Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) co-ordinator Nigel Nyamutumbu said while the country had made strides in reducing cases of violations against journalists, there were challenges that still needed to be addressed.
“We have a working relationship between the media and the police that has contributed to an improved operating environment for journalists,” he said.
“However, the recent cases of the arrest of journalists were of concern to us and on the occasion of observing the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we reiterate our call for the authorities to drop what we consider arbitrary charges against journalists.”
He called on the ZRP to institutionalise the police and media action plan for the understanding between journalists and the security services to be formalised.
“A key output of the policy dialogues with the police and other State actors would be strengthening legal and policy frameworks that ensure a safer environment for the exercise of free journalistic enterprise,” Nyamutumbu said.
He said MAZ had partnered the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services ministry in a national media stakeholder conference set for Harare next week as a follow-up intervention.
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“We recognise the launch of a national policy one of whose pillars is a conducive environment and as such it is important to discuss the policy implementation matrix,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele applauded the cordial relationship between the police and the media in the province.
She, however, advocated for enhanced partnership between the media and police in raising awareness on the critical operations of the police.
“We have an open door policy with the media,” Msebele said.
Partnering the media will ensure that communities have access to credible information. For instance, we have just released the statistics of accidents involving pedestrians from July to October and we believe the media can be a key partner in addressing this worrisome, growing trend.”
